Pumpkin Spice Muffins {small batch recipe}

I was very hesitant about the name of this recipe, knowing that pumpkin spice anything has jumped the shark. It’s impossible to go anywhere this time of year without being slapped in the face with that trifecta of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. But here’s the thing—I didn’t intend to make Pumpkin Spice Muffins, it just kind of happened.

Having baked more variations of pumpkin pie than many people will ever bake in a lifetime, I found myself with little bits of pumpkin puree from testing various canned brands. For the record, I think One-Pie is the next best thing to roasting and pureeing your own pumpkin. It’s not organic, I know nothing about the parent company, and I’m keeping it that way. In this case, ignorance is bliss.

The excess pumpkin puree left me craving muffins, and what better pairing with pumpkin than, well cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. So, yes, these are Pumpkin Spice Muffins.

Sue me if you feel so offended, or thank me if you wanted a new way to use up leftover canned pumpkin, or feel unapologetic about your love for anything pumpkin spice (guilty as charged.).

I baked these up as mini muffins to share at a school meeting a couple of weeks ago. Let me tell ya, folks—carrying a basket of fresh baked muffins either makes you loved, or sends people running for the hills. Baked goods often seem an enemy of the people, but once fellow parents heard they were sweetened with honey, I saw the sparkle in their eyes, and the muffins became more friend than foe.

There’s a tad bit of refined sugar, resulting from the 1 ½ teaspoons of molasses, but I’ll be offering a tip in the next in the next few days for making your own refined sugar free version. Okay, off to get my day under way. This has been week of happy, pre-birthday gatherings.

Monday was spent with a friend who’s become a very important part of my world. Wednesday, two of my best friends drove 120 miles from Brooklyn, and gifted me with the only thing I ever really want—time. We talked for four hours, and I’m still reeling from the high of every second together.

Today, I’m meeting Mikey’s best friend for breakfast, and frankly, Davey has become one of my best friends in the last few years, too. The big day is on Saturday. I didn’t know what to expect going into this week, as every year presents its own challenges, but if this is a preview of my next year on this earth, then perhaps 44 will be filled with hope, and love, and courage to keep going because I’ve no doubt how much I’m loved.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: Makes 24 mini muffins

These muffins are a perfect way to use up leftover canned pumpkin. Make them as minis for a breakfast buffet, or bake them into six full-sized muffins, adding another 7 to 10 minutes to the baking time.

Ingredients

1 egg

4 tablespoons (80 grams) honey

1 ½ teaspoons (10 grams) molasses

½ cup (130 grams) pumpkin puree

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 tablespoons (168 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder

¼ teaspoon (1 gram) fine sea salt

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

3 tablespoons (45 ml | 39 grams) oil, canola, sunflower or grapeseed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat two 12-cup mini muffin pans with cooking spray; set aside.

Add the egg, honey, molasses, pumpkin, and vanilla extract to a deep bowl. Whisk until blended well, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the batter is mixed well, with no visible signs of flour. Pour in the oil. Using the same wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, gently fold the oil into the batter.

Divide the batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for 15 minutes, until the top is golden, and a metal skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving.

Jennie

andrew

doubled the recipe to make 12 full size muffins and the family, including two dads and a six and two year old, happily devoured them! while i didn’t have all the ingredients in the cabinet (somehow ran out of ginger without remembering), i added a mixture of pumpkin pie spice (i know, a controversial ingredient) along with the others listed and it created a subtle spice that hit you after the last chew. the pumpkin is definitely overshadowed but, well, when isn’t it competing with spices? the muffin definitely tasted healthy, as it leaned towards being, but did so in a refreshing and happy to indulge kind of way knowing the pounds of butter soon to be consumed!